Looking for some advice for a concealed carry weapon for the wife. We were thinking a semi-auto, clip fed weapon. She seems intimidated by the recoil on my 9mm (Glock), and was wondering if there was a decent handgun that would give her more confidence with aiming and firing. I was thinking of something like a .380, but I've never shot them to compare them to a 9mm. Obviously they shoot a smaller cartridge, but the gun seems much lighter and would seem to be more susceptible to kick-back. Maybe I'm wrong. I think a .25 auto might be too light. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I’d get her a short barreled .357 or .38 revolver. Get one without a hammer. No slide or mag for her to bother with. Just grab it and shoot, really simple like. The .357 has uber stopping power too. FAR more than the .380(or even a 9mm).

.380 aren’t all that bad. They’ve got pretty much the same caliber as a 9mm, just not as much powder behind it. Range vs shot placement are the two biggest factors there. Chances are if a woman needs it, it’s going to be at point blank range to very short range.

About the Glock though look into a 9mm Springfield XD or some other brand. Your wife’s problem with the Glock recoil may actually be due to the larger grips on a Glock and not really the recoil of the round.

Stay away from the .25, quite possibly the worst round ever made. You’re better off with a pistol that shoots .22lr.

The Kel-Tec PMR30 fires 22 Winchester magnums. The reason this might interest you is because while it's a small caliber, it is still a magnum round while creating relatively small recoil. And best of all, it is a lightweight, slender gun that holds thirty rounds.

One-stop-shots are the best, but they come with recoil. So to balance it, why not have a gun that can unload thirty rounds? No aggressor will take that lightly - if at all.

I have a Glock G17 for home defense and a .380 for conceal carry. I really don't find either one kicks that much, neither does my wife.When your wife practices are you using adequate hearing protection. I have found many women flinch when learning to shoot because of the *Bang*.My wife has learned, with practice, that even a .44 magnum is manageable.

Not true. I have had revolvers malfunction and break for me while at the range. It was rare and amongst many thousands of rounds fired, but it can happen. One instance is why my blued Ruger Security-Six now has a stainless ejection rod.

Perhaps the “seems intimidated by the recoil” needs a bit more thought. I’d be reluctant to unnecessarily compromise the primary purpose of self-protection. To me, the .45 ACP is the very best defensive round.

For a lightweight carry weapon, consider the Glock 36. It’s one of the lightest (unloaded) firearms on the market. Gotta love the Glock’s point-and-shoot simplicity, reliability, and durability.

For those with small hands, it uses a single-stack magazine. I recommend adding the magazine extender, which gives you a better grip; otherwise, your pinky finger hangs loose. You only get 8 rounds (6+1+1) to carry, BUT you get a very lightweight carry weapon; and, after all, how many rounds are you realistically/probably/likely going to need?

It’s really about trade-offs. Getting used to the recoil may be your best overall choice.

Don’t get a .25, a .22 long rifle has more power than a .25. .380s have enough for defensive use and you can get some good ones. However, the recoil on them is more than one would think but not as severe as a 9MM.

Make her cut some stuff with your chain saw or reciprocating saw and then take her back to the range. A gun is a power tool, she will be able to handle the 9mm.

The question will be whether she can operate the slide or not. Some women don't have the grip strength for small frame automatics. I have seen some women that can't pull the trigger on DA/SA autos in the double action mode.

If she learns to handle the 9mm, I recommend a Glock 26 with a proper holster. Small, simple, high capacity. With the right ammo you can do a lot of damage.

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